Sometimes rock is just rock. It doesn’t need to fit into an overly dramatized subcategory. And it’s not dead. Not even close. Ireland’s Trucker Diablo is such. They are just rock. Good rock. Hard rock. Rock that’ll have your toes tapping. Or headbanging. Or even up on the dance floor, groovin’.

My road to discovery took place back in 2013. Seems like a lifetime ago. The record company imposed upon me a new album. Back then I didn’t get tons of these so I was excited at every one. I played every one. Sometimes I miss those simpler times. Now the total inundation is overwhelming. Things get lost. Never listened to.

I loved every minute of Trucker Diablo‘s Songs of Iron release. You can check out my review of the Songs of Iron album here: Trucker Diablo-The Big Truck Keeps On Rollin’. The album even hit my best of 2013! They announced an indefinite hiatus in 2014. A huge disappointment for me. Then they blew that away a year later with a new release in Rise Above the Noise. While it wasn’t Songs of Iron, it was still great overall and you can again read my thoughts here: Trucker Diablo – Rise Above The Noise.

My eyes thankfully caught the new Trucker Diablo press release. Almost missed it! For those not already versed, I present Trucker Diablo‘s Fighting For Everything. Check it out, and their past releases too, especially Songs of Iron. This is a band for all hard rock lovers, you’ll thank me! For this 2017 issue, the boys have maintained the same roster as Rise Above the Noise. The Trucker Diablo membership is Tom Harte and Simon Haddock both on guitar and vocals, Terry Crawford behind the kit and Jim McGurk holding down bass duties. The boys started Trucker Diablo in 2008 in Northern Ireland and have cited influences such as C.C.R., AC/DC, Metallica, Anthrax, Annihilator and Thin Lizzy.

A lot like an early girlfriend, it’s not unenjoyable, but never quite measures up to that first one. Same theory here. Great album. I rocked, bobbed head, tapped toe. Hell, even air drummed at several points throughout the repeated listens. I suspect that Fighting For Everything will only take a deeper hold with subsequent rotations. It’s the sort of thing that reaffirms your beliefs that rock is not dead. Who knows, this may even hit my top of the year…the first time ever for a band’s second appearance since I joined Decibel Geek, if it happens.

Always learning something new, there’s more behind the music of your life than you sometimes think. Case and point: As for the ethos behind the album title, frontman Tom Harte explains, “Three members of Trucker Diablo are indirectly affected by disability with their partners or kids, it makes the band stronger and appreciate it even more…so it’s hard being a part of the music industry even without dealing with what we have to…so we are literally Fighting For Everything…..” . I know one fight they are definitely winning!

TRUCKER DIABLO – Fighting For Everything

From the opener of “Born Trucker” to the closer of “When The Waters Rise” in your face hard rock is the order of the day. These boys are men after my own heart, no stinky ballads on this ripper. Wonder if they read my review of Rise Above the Noise! Ok, well “When The Waters Rise” is slower fare…but not ballad-ish I’d say. Man, I can’t go track by track here…it’s all solid and if you haven’t you need check out this band from Northern Ireland!

Songs like “Voodoo II” have already hit my rotating playlist. The Trucker Diablo debut, Devil Rhythm, featured a track titled “Voodoo”. Could it be this is the sequel? A remake? Can’t say as I’ve not tracked down that Devil Rhythm album! Elusive little bugger. The ninth spot’s “Die For You” is even a little thrashy…well maybe I’m getting excited there…but it rips from front to back, fuck it’s fast-paced!

No Matter what…if you question the future of hard rock, you need to discover Trucker Diablo! You’re welcome! Thank you Trucker Diablo, your tunes guide me each and every day! Now my personal quest to see these dudes live…you guys planning a trip to Toronto by chance?